It was billed as the city's new luxury landmark. The Trump Tower, US reality TV star and property magnate Donald Trump's first signature project in India, was proposed to come up near Girguam Chowpatty. Three years after work began on the project, however, the plans have come a cropper.

The 65-storey tower, being developed by Rohan Lifescapes, was supposed to have sprawling 4,800 sq ft apartments on each floor. The project, which was to have 45 residential floors, will now be replaced by two 20-storey residential towers with smaller homes. With the project losing its luxury tag, the Trump Organisation would not be a part of the revised plan, said sources. A formal announcement regarding the same would soon be made, they added.

Choosing not to comment on the nature of the firm's relationship with Rohan Lifescape, executive vice-president of Trump Organisation Donald Trump Jr said, "Trump only brands the highest end luxury developments in each market that we enter. That has and will continue to be our strategy as we continue to expand our global brand."

Two adjoining plots, collectively measuring 23,000 sq ft and located next to the Bharati Vidya Bhavan, were to be amalgamated for the luxury tower.

Haresh Mehta of Rohan Lifescapes confirmed that the project has been revised. A source informed Mirror that he has already put forth the alternate proposal for construction of two 20-storied towers. However, neither confirming nor denying Trump's withdrawal from the project, Mehta said, "Talks are still on with the Trump Organisation."

Caught in legal tangle The luxury project made a sound start with Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) approving the plans on October 20, 2010. A floor space index of 2.31 was sanctioned. The then municipal commissioner, Swadhin Kshatriya, had approved the project.

But, following an urban development (UD) department report that at least five "irregularities" had been committed at the time of granting approvals, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan directed BMC to revoke permissions granted to the project in December 2011. Work at the site was stopped, with BMC issuing a "stop work" notice before the revocation directive. The plots are affected by the reservation of a proposed corridor, the central island expressway, which was to connect Girgaum Chowpatty with Lalbaug and Sion. UD had observed that commencement certificate for piling work for Trump Tower was granted without "modifying" the road reservation.

It also observed that the amalgamation of the two plots was pending. And so was a mandatory clearance from the union environment ministry as the plot falls in CRZ-II. Further, it pointed out that a prior approval from the state govenrment was necessary before approval to proposal in redevelopment projects, where the tenement area exceeded 753.27 sq ft. While a proposal in this regard had been put up before the UD in January, 2010, it was yet to be approved.

The UD stated that fire decks had been permitted on residential floors even as these "were not permissible". The fire decks were free of FSI under the development control regulations applicable then.

While granting the approvals, the BMC had insisted on a registered undertaking from developers regarding obtaining of the pending clearance and non misuse of fire decks. The luxury project also faced stiff opposition from a section of tenants residing on one of the plots. An inquiry was also ordered into how the permissions had been granted.

Last bid to save project

In April 2012, Trump's son Donald Trump Jr met Chavan to request reconsideration of the revocation directive. Senior officials pointed out that under the new development control regulations, it was difficult to grant the concessions sought for the proposed tower. Officials also pointed out that amalgamation of the two plots was not possible, a point which Mehta confirmed.

Donald Trump Jr, however, remained bullish about the Indian real estate market. "There is tremendous demand for Trump in India. We remain enthusiastic about our project in Pune, and expansion plans both in Mumbai and beyond," he said.

DEAD END FOR EXPRESSWAY PLAN

A plan to set up an expressway connecting Girgaum Chowpatty to Lalbaug and Sion has hit a dead end, courtesy the ever-rising real estate market. The expressway was meant to help with traffic congestion in the island city. The Central Island Expressway was first proposed in 1981 and was to connect Pandita Ramabai Marg near Chowpatty to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road in Lalbaug and further to Sion Road.

Recently, the chief minister directed BMC commissioner chief Sitaram Kunte to review the demand to scrap the project. Reportedly, a section of developers and politicians had demanded scrapping the proposal as it would affect redevelopment around the proposed corridor.

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